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Monday, September 12, 2011

Welsh Cakes

This is quickly becoming my favorite time of the month, Secret Recipe Club reveal day. I love the whole Secret Recipe Club process. The excitement starts when I receive the email from Amanda listing my assigned blog. Next it’s so interesting reading though all the potential recipes…even with my stress over which recipe to choose. The cooking and tasting is always a big hit in the Cook Lisa Cook house as all the recipes have been wonderful. I will say though, the best part is reveal day when all the participating food bloggers post their recreation or version of the recipe they made from their assigned blog. I love seeing all the wonderful recipe choices and of course I’m always adding to my list of “need to make” recipes. It’s all so much fun and easy to join in, just check out The Secret Recipe Club site for all the info.

This is my fourth month as part of the Secret Recipe Club and so far I have made Home Style Chicken Curry, Holy Guacamole, Cilantro Lime Chicken and Nutella Crêpes, all wonderful and delicious. With four hits in a row I was looking for another winner this month and I found it on my assigned blog, Barb’s Mom’s Fridge. As in months past, within minutes of receiving my assignment I was scrolling through recipes, noting ones that caught my eye and of course thinking all the time of what would work for my family. I considered Barb’s Spicy Asian Chicken Wraps as those are always a favorite of mine. Then I thought that Maisie and I would make her Oreo-Stuffed Chocolate-Chip Cookies because Maisie would have fun with that one but then I realized that we really just made something similar when she and I made Toll House Double Stuff Oreo Brownies so I nixed that one for now and added it to my list of “recipes to make with Maisie.” Super Pizza Bites also made my short list but thought I’d save those and make them when we had people over because I knew that we’d all eat way too many if that was my choice of recipe. Then I came upon Barb’s recipe for Welsh Cakes and I knew immediately what I would be making this month.

About a year after Eammon and I were married we traveled over to England and Wales to visit with his family. During that trip I met for the first time, Eammon’s eldest brother Michael, his wife Stephanie and their family when we stayed with them in their home in Cardiff. Stephanie and I hit if off immediately and during our short couple of days visiting she and I enjoyed getting to know one another, we bonded over food spending time together in the kitchen. One of the things that Stephanie made for us during our visit were Welsh Cakes and from my first bite I was in love. I never did get her recipe nor did I ever get to see her again as she very unexpectedly passed away before we were able to get together again. So when I saw Barb’s recipe for Welsh Cakes it reminded me of Stephanie, sharing her company, time in her kitchen and the wonderful food she made during our visit. It has been over a decade since my first and only time having Welsh Cakes but the ones I made brought back good memories. I wish that Stephanie and I could have shared these Welsh Cakes and a cuppa. I know that had we had more time together, she and I would have been good friends.

I did make a few changes to Barb’s recipe and I cut the recipe in half as there are only three of us in the house and I knew that if I made a full recipe, we would have eaten the full recipe. Plus these are so easy to make, they come together in minutes that had we “needed” more right away I could had them made and on the table very quickly. These Welsh Cakes have a gorgeous subtle taste and the texture is similar to a soft shortbread, moist but a little bit crumbly. They’re just a bit sweet with the raisins really adding to that sweetness. I cooked mine up in my old cast iron pan using real butter and they were delicious and perfect. We really enjoyed them hot from the pan, as a snack later in the day and even as leftovers for breakfast the following morning. Very delicious and I think Stephanie would have approved.

Before I get to the recipe I need to share something I found funny or coincidental. Barb without knowing that I was working off of her blog, made and posted Citrus Cilantro Chicken Legs, her version of my August Secret Recipe Club entry, Cilantro Lime Chicken. I love that this month we cooked off of each others blog.

I added all my dry ingredients to a bowl and cut in my butter.

I then mixed in my egg and added the raisins.

My dough came together beautifully but had I needed, I could have added some milk a little bit at a time.

Pat out the dough to about 1/4-inch thick and then find a moody, temperamental but always beautiful five year old to help cut the dough.

In a large cast iron skillet over low heat cook the Welsh Cakes slowly until golden brown on both sides.

A much happier little girl once it was time to give the Welsh Cakes a try.

Stir together flour, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon & salt. Add the butter and cut in like when making a pie dough. Add the egg and mix to combine. Add the raisins and bring the dough together into one large ball. If the mixture seems a little too dry, add just a little milk

Roll or pat the dough to 1/4-inch thick and cut into rounds, reshaping the dough scraps until you completely run out.

Cook on a buttered griddle or in a heavy bottomed pan for about 3 minutes per side. If they look as if they're browning too quickly, turn the heat down a bit because they need to cook through. They will be fairly brown, crisp and delicious on the outside. Serve them warm or cold with butter and/or honey or jam. We enjoyed them plain and they stayed gorgeous overnight sealed in a Ziplock on the counter.

I'd never heard of Welsh Cakes before, but they sound like they'd be a lovely treat to have with a cuppa tea. Thank you for sharing your story about Stephanie, too. One of my favourite ways to remember the people I've lost is to cook the foods that remind me of them. It's my way to keeping their memories alive, and to relive the good times.

Lovely! I only wish I had seen this when I taught a session about Welsh dragon legends. I made some other Welsh recipe that didn't look half as good as this! Thanks for posting it to the SRC. ~Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla (http://culinary-adventures-with-cam.blogspot.com/)

I've had Welsh cakes on my to-do list for such a long time. You've convinced me to try them asap! And what a wonderful story to go with them. I'm sure Stephanie would be very happy! (I found you through SRC- I'm a new member!)

Well, I checked out the Secret Recipe club thinking maybe I'd try it out. But it looks like I would need to actually have a cooking blog to participate, and I don't! I just don't cook well enough for a cooking blog. I love the idea of choosing recipes to cook from blogs - I wonder if there is some kind of cooking challenge blogs out there that don't require one to have a dedicated cooking blog?

Hi there, thanks for sharing the Welsh Cake recipe. I have made these for years and years, LOL I originated in Cardiff, Wales and have been in Canada now for 41 years, but my boys still beg me to make Welsh Cakes. Hugs, Chris